


The Journey to the Throne (Abandoned)

by Kjasa



Category: Long Live the Queen (Video Game)
Genre: Age Difference, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Politics, Slow Burn, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:15:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24641509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kjasa/pseuds/Kjasa
Summary: (Retelling of the game's main story using plot points from multiple routes.)When Elodie's mother died, she was suddenly thrust into a world of intrigue and chaos that she was completely unprepared for. Now it's up to her to be smart, strong, and brave enough to make it to her 15th birthday alive so she can inherit the throne she was destined for.(Abandoned because I forgot the direction I was going in)
Relationships: Edolie/Kevan
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is a retelling of "Long Live the Queen" by Hanako Games using plot points from multiple different routes.

The road home from St. Alodia’s boarding school had been a long one, and it’s circumstances less than favorable. It had been only a week since Queen Fidelia’s tragic death, and Elodie’s wounds were still very fresh. It took all her strength just to maintain composure on the carriage ride home, she couldn’t place any more of a burden on her father than he was already dealing with. As she glanced out the window to catch the first glimpses of her family’s castle, she heard an uncomfortable cough across from her.

“We’re almost home now. Your room is just the way you left it, you know.”

Elodie looked into her father’s weary eyes and sighed. He was trying his best, but nothing he could do would ever prepare her for the year ahead. She was only fourteen, she should be at school spending time with friends and enjoy the carefree parts of life. Instead, she would never see her mother again and the burdens of the crown were now thrust upon her. She wouldn’t have an official coronation until her fifteenth birthday, but whether she would even make it that far now was a coin toss.

“I know it’s hard for you to leave St. Alodia’s and your friends, but I’ve arranged for the best possible tutors in every subject. You’ll have to work hard this year to prepare yourself for your fifteenth birthday, but I know you can do it” King Dowager Josyln stated as he turned his gaze to the floor.

“You’ll learn quickly and make a wonderful queen. It’s what your mother would’ve wanted.”

“That is NOT what mother would’ve wanted”, Elodie snapped as she turned away from him again and fought back tears.

“She wouldn’t have wanted to die and leave me”.

“No. She wouldn’t have. But sometimes bad things happen and we have to pick up and carry on anyway. All of Nova depends on us. On you” he sighed as he tried to remain strong for his daughter. As the carriage stopped and a servant helped Elodie and her father down, he placed his hand on her shoulder softly.

“I will be here to guide you until your coronation, but the decisions you make are ultimately up to you”.

A short maid with brown hair and eyes stepped forward as she bowed.

“King Dowager Joslyn, the preparations you asked for have been completed. I hope your journey has been safe and comfortable”.

Joslyn took his hand off Elodie’s shoulder and tiredly walked in the front gate before turning around to see Elodie frozen in her tracks, tears falling down her face.

“Come. Your maids are waiting”.


	2. A Small Moment of Happiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elodie begins her lessons and greets some unexpected visitors.

As Elodie followed the maid down the halls towards her room, she couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable. She had grown up here and knew the layout like the back of her hand, but it all felt completely different now. No longer was this her warm and loving home, instead only a cold and empty shell remained of it’s once vibrant former self. The creaking of her bedroom door snapped her back to reality as the maid began to draw her curtains and open her windows to let in fresh air.

“I’ve maintained this room while you were away, but I kept everything where you left it, just as the King Dowager ordered. I’ve been assigned as your lady in waiting Lady Elodie, so if there’s anything I can do to serve you please don’t hesitate to ask. Shall I bring in some tea for the afternoon?”

“No thank you Alice. I just need some time to get settled back into things here.” 

“As you wish Lady Elodie.” Alice bowed as she exited the room.

Alice had been a faithful servant to Elodie’s family for many years, and even served as her mother’s lady in waiting before she died. While Elodie wasn’t completely comfortable with her yet, a small piece of her appreciated the small things that would make her feel close to her mother. As she glanced around her room, she saw just how thorough of a job Alice had done. You would expect at least some dust after being unoccupied for a year, but it was spotless. Every item was indeed just as she had left it, not that she would have noticed a difference to begin with. As much as she wanted to just fall into bed and sleep her troubles away, she knew that her lessons would begin early the next day and there would be no time to mourn or rest. The kingdom of Nova was depending on her now whether she liked it or not. 

Suddenly out of the corner of her eye she noticed something that had definitely not been in her room before. On top of her beds pillows lay a large stuffed bear with a giant pink ribbon and note tied around its neck. Elodie turned over the tag suspiciously, unprepared for the short but to the point message that caused the blocked tears to flow through her eyes.

“To my darling daughter Elodie. Love, Mom.”

Now sobbing uncontrollably, she grasped the teddy bear tightly before falling into her bed’s warm embrace and letting her troubles fade into sleep. Work would have to wait until tomorrow.

* * *

She awoke early the next morning to Alice dropping off breakfast in her room and doing some tidying up before the day began. The sun shone brightly through her windows and she stretched out her arms while yawning loudly. 

"Good morning Lady Elodie. I brought you some breakfast, I had the chef prepare your favorite scones and honey. I hope you slept well."

"Thank you Alice, you're a lifesaver. That's the longest I've slept in a week." Elodie sighed while sitting down to her meal. As she began to savor her food and adjust to the morning light, Alice quickly walked behind her and began to brush and style her hair.

"It's my pleasure. Your father has arranged for your vocal tutor to meet you in the ballroom in about an hour. Her name is Morgan, and she'll be instructing you on breathing exercises and vocal ranges today." Alice finished tying up Elodie's hair and laying out her dress before asking, "Is there anything else I can do for you this morning?"

"No thank you Alice, that will be all."

"Of course".

After finishing her breakfast and putting on the dress Alice had laid out for her, Elodie left her room and walked quickly towards the ballroom. She had arrived there early, but a tall middle aged woman with well defined smile lines and black hair pulled back into a tight bun was already there before her. The woman quickly looked up and shot her a beaming smile that Elodie couldn't help but return. 

"You must be Elodie! My name is Morgan. Your father the King Dowager has hired me to teach you about proper vocal techniques and singing. Please, have a seat."

"Thank you." Elodie said as she sat down in a seat opposite of Morgan, "I'm looking forward to learning with you."

Morgan shuffled through some of her papers and handed Elodie a stack of notes about proper vocal techniques, "With proper vocal control you'll be able to express the ideas in your head more comfortably. It will make you a better public speaker, and you'll leave the people you interact with more willing than they would have otherwise been. A good queen must always be prepared to address her court or subjects with confidence and poise. You can learn much about being a good speaker through singing. And it never hurts to be a good singer either" she said while smirking.

Morgan was not what Elodie had expected from a royal tutor. She wasn't uptight in the least, but warm and welcoming. A wave of confidence came over her as she looked over the notes that Morgan had handed her.

"Then let us begin."

* * *

Elodie's first week of lessons had been quite interesting, but that didn't stop her from feeling exhausted at the end of the week. As she wandered down the halls towards the gardens, she heard a sudden squeal from the main hall. Immediately rushing over to see what the commotion was, she peaked around the corner and saw a familiar array of faces that she hadn't seen in a long time. It was her aunt Lucille the Countess of Nix, her uncle Laurent Duke of Merva, and her cousins Charlotte, Emry, and Zahra. Stepping around the corner to greet them, she saw her Aunt Lucille turn around and flash her standard fake smile as she walked up to her.

"Elodie darling it's been ages! We were so sorry to hear about your mother Fidelia's passing." She said as she pulled Elodie into an uncomfortably long and dramatic hug.

"Thank you, it means a lot to hear that." Elodie sighed while freeing herself from her aunt's grasp.

"You look well, niece."

Elodie looked up to see her Uncle and cousins stepping forward as well as some servants carrying their belongings to the guest quarters. Her cousin Charlotte nearly knocked her down as she jumped forward to give her an excited hug, her purple logs bobbing in the wind.

"Hi Lodie!" Charlotte said as she giggled with excitement.

"Lottie! It's been forever since I last saw you! Will you be staying long?"

"Yup! Mummy said we'll be staying all month." She said as she let go of Elodie and clasped her hands in front of her.

"Why don't you come with me to my room then while your family gets settled so we can have some time to talk." Elodie smiled as she held Charlotte's hand and they ran down the hall laughing.

It was a nice break to spend some time with Charlotte. While they only saw each other a couple times a year, Elodie considered Charlotte her closest friend. As they made their way around the palace, the talked of their studies, families, and gossip surrounding noble families of the kingdom that Charlotte had heard from her mother. It was the best she had felt for weeks and it was nice to be with someone her own age for once. Her father and the member of their court were all very kind to her, but it was nice to actually feel like a kid for once. When they arrived at her room, Alice brought them tea and some snacks for their afternoon.

"I've always loved this room, it's so much bigger than mine back home." Charlotte sighed contentedly as she sipped her tea.

"You really should visit more often. It's awful that the only time I get to see you is..." Elodie looked down at her cup, trying to find the right words to use, "... times like this. Anyway, I know your brother and your sister are too young, but why haven't you gone to St. Alodia's yet? All the noble children go there."

Charlotte rolled her eyes as if she had had this argument a million times with her family, "My mother worries about me too much. She doesn't think anywhere but home is safe enough."

A small laugh escaped Elodie as she responded, "Oh trust me I understand that feeling. My father and the guards probably won't allow me to leave this castle until my coronation. But at least you're here now. We can have fun until you leave."

The two girls finished their tea and spent the rest of the day playing together, until the fell into an exhausted and content sleep in Elodie's bed. Alice couldn't help but smile as she tucked the two girls in and close the curtains. For now, all was peaceful.


	3. An Unwelcome Visitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An old acquaintance of King Dowager Joslyn comes to see Elodie, but her father isn't exactly happy to see her.

It had been two weeks since Elodie's return to the castle, and life was moving at a snail's pace. Her days were filled with classes on court manners and how to address the nobility in the morning, and lessons on the lore of the magical creatures in Nova in the afternoon. After one particularly grueling day of classes, Elodie was walking in the castle gardens when Alice ran up to her with an expression of concern on her face.

"Lady Elodie! The King Dowager has requested your presence in the throne room immediately. The Duchess of Ursul has come to see you."

"Thank you Alice!" Elodie yelled as she took off in the direction of the castle's throne room.

It's considered very rude to leave nobility waiting when they request an audience, and a Duke or Duchess is someone you must be extra careful not to offend. As she reached the doors of the throne room and took a moment to straighten herself up and catch her breath, she heard her father yelling angrily on the other side. The King Dowager was very rarely outwardly, and to show that level of aggression to a member of Nova's nobility was almost unheard of. Hoping to resolve whatever conflict was on the other side of the door, Elodie put on her most regal demeanor and walked through the throne room doors. Suddenly both adults stopped in their tracks and turned around to gaze in her direction. She figured that the tall woman with short blue hair must have been the Duchess of Ursul, but she was still unclear on why her father wore a look of absolute hatred on his face.

"Father," Elodie began to speak in her most confident voice, "What's going on?"

The woman with blue hair turned around to face her, "My name is Juliana, Duchess of Ursul. I have come to pay my respects in honor of the late Queen Fidelia."

At this statement, Joslyn's head snapped in her direction and he could barely conceal the rage in his voice, "You have NO respect or honor. It's because of you and your powers that my wife is dead!"

Elodie was shocked, the cause of her mother's death had been a strictly kept secret, even she had no idea what had happened. Noticing the look of shock and fear on the crown princesses face, Juliana began to make her case with the would be queen, ignoring the cold stares from the King Dowager.

"I am a Lumen and so was she. Like every Lumen, I am willing to give my life, if necessary, to protect our domain."

"You and your line have been traitors for two hundred years" the King Dowager snapped, "I won't have you corrupting my daughter."

"With all do respect your highness" Juliana began to say as she took a step towards Elodie and sternly looked in his direction, "That is for the crown princess to decide. Not you."

Now kneeling before Elodie in a sign of service to the crown, Juliana made her final plea, "Elodie, your mother trusted me. I was one of her closest advisors. I understand the King Dowagers reservations about Lumens, but you are in a dangerous position right now and you will need all the help you can get. I have much to teach you that your mother would have, if she were still alive."

"I want to hear what she has to say" Elodie stated as she gazed into her father's eyes, "She stays."

Joslyn was still for a moment, before sighing and turning away from the two, "As you wish."

Juliana stood, no expression on her face betraying her mood, "Come, we have much to discuss."

* * *

The Duchess of Ursul led the two through the castle halls as they talked, clearly familiar with the castle layout.

"A lumen is a person who has the ability to channel magic at will. While they need a crystal to have complete control over their abilities, some lumens are able to channel minor expressions of their power before they have activated their crystal. Originally all of the nobility in Nova were lumens, but that number has gone down quite drastically over hundreds of years. All kings and queens of Nova have been lumens though, and it is your responsibility to activate your crystal and become one for the sake of our country."

"Where would I get a crystal though?" Elodie began to interject, "And I would appreciate it if you could explain what happened to my mother as well. No one has told me."

Juliana sighed, clearly annoyed by the inconvenience ahead and responded, "Lumens must inherit their crystal from someone else. You were meant to inherit your mothers upon your coronation day, though I suspect your father has had it hidden. And there is some truth to the fact that magic is the cause of your mother's death. While I can not disclose the direct circumstances, all magic has its price. That is a sacrifice that those who are lumens are destined to make."

"You are now one of my advisors, you serve me and yet you still can't tell your future queen what happened to her mother?" Elodie began to yell angrily out of frustration, "I don't understand any of this!"

Juliana stopped in her steps and spun around, towering over the young future queen as she stared daggers into her soul, "Let me make one thing perfectly clear princess. While I may be your advisor, I do NOT serve you. I serve Nova. Not a fragile and easily replaceable child."

She began to walk away from Elodie, but then stopped and turned back, "You may not understand this now, but you will. Whether you wait to activate your mother's crystal until your coronation or feel the need to before that, it is your destiny. And I will be here to guide you with the knowledge you need along the way, as that is mine."

* * *

Elodie was still reeling from her conversation with the Duchess of Ursul earlier. Her cheeks were red from embarrassment, and she couldn't stop thinking of what a fool she must have looked like to the cool and collected woman. She desperately needed something to cheer her up, so she went to the guest quarters and had Charlotte accompany her as she explored some of the more solitary corners of the castle.

"Lottie, what do you know about lumens?"

"Why are you asking?" Charlotte said nervously as she fidgeted with her sleeves.

"Juliana, the Duchess of Ursul came to visit today to talk to me about it" Elodie sighed as she leaned out of one of the turret's windows and watched the setting sun, "Father looked incredibly angry with her, but I took her on as my advisor anyway. She's an odd woman and she doesn't seem to like me, but I guess she was a close advisor of my mother's."

Charlotte leaned out of the window with Elodie, seemingly choosing her words carefully before speaking, "Mummy says people are scared of lumens because they're jealous of the great power they possess. There used to be tons of them in Nova, but there aren't anymore."

"Why not?"

"I don't know." Charlotte said as she got up and started walking back to the guest quarters, "You know how people react to magic. They were probably all burned."


	4. A Solemn Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elodie says goodbye to her beloved cousin.

Another week had passed, full of lessons on how to present yourself well and musical instruments. While she knew she still had a very long way to go, Elodie was finally starting to feel like she was making more progress in her studies. The fear and sadness of the past weeks had faded and been replaced with a newfound sense of determination to become the best queen she could possibly be. Alice had told her that morning that Charlotte would be waiting in the gardens for her after her lessons for a tea party, so she found herself walking among the flowers and fountains, enjoying the spring air. Ahead of her she could see Charlotte sitting in a field of flowers, her purple hair and light blue dress swaying in the breeze as she plucked petals from a solitary flower.

"He loves me, he loves me not." She repeated again and again as she played her game with a smile. Elodie almost didn't want to disturb her, but it would be rude to keep her cousin waiting.

"Do you have a boyfriend, Lottie?" Elodie giggled as she stood over Charlotte's shoulder.

"Not yet," she blushed while laughing, "I just like to play with flowers. I find it calming."

"Me too." Elodie smiled as she gathered up her skirts to sit down next to her.

Before she could get seated, she spotted a snake on the ground, slithering towards her cousin, "Charlotte don't move!"

As Elodie grabbed a stick to attempt to move the snake a safe distance away, it quickly reacted and bit her exposed leg, causing her to yell and fall to the ground in pain as it slithered away.

Charlotte gasped and quickly grabbed Elodie's arm, tears forming in her eyes, "That was a milk viper, Lodie. They're highly venomous and very few survive their bites."

Elodie struggled to breathe as her eyesight grew dimmer, "I don't feel so good Lottie, I'm sorry."

"Please hold on! I can fix this!" Charlotte cried desperately as she placed her hands on the snake bite, concentrating as hard as she could.

Suddenly the pain in Elodie's leg faded, and as Charlotte removed her hands it was clear that the snake bite had disappeared. She had been on the brink of death, and Charlotte had saved her. Slowly she began to stand up, holding onto her cousin's arm for support.

"How... how did you do that? I almost died."

Charlotte could only look away as she gave her answer, "I don't know how I do it. For as long as I can remember I've just been able to. Mummy says I'm not supposed to tell anybody, people will be scared and try to burn me Lodie. Promise me you won't tell?"

"I would never put you in that position Charlotte." Elodie responded as she gave her cousin a bright smile, "I'm just lucky you were here. I would be dead if it weren't for you."

As both girls recovered their composure and brushed the grass off their dresses, they heard Aunt Lucille's voice behind them, clearly in a bad mood.

"Girls? What's going on out here? I could hear yelling from the guest quarters." she said as she eyed them both suspiciously.

"Nothing Mother! Really, we're fine." Charlotte hurriedly said as she quickly straightened her posture.

"We saw a snake, but it's okay, it slithered away from us." Elodie interjected as she placed herself between Lucille and Charlotte, smiling brightly.

Lucille's eyes opened wide as it became clear that she did not see the matter in the same way, "That's it! Charlotte, pack your things, we're going back to Merva at first light tomorrow morning. I should have known it wouldn't be safe here."

"That would be for the best" Juliana's voice rang out from behind them as they all turned to see her approach, her eyes fixed on Lucille, "Milk vipers aren't native to this area. It makes one wonder where it came from or who brought it here".

Lucille was clearly not amused by Juliana's commentary and grabbed Charlotte's arm as she dragged her away, ignoring her daughter's protests.

"Your cousin is a lumen. Not one with an activated crystal, but she clearly has great potential. I'd be careful around her mother. That kind of power runs in families." Juliana said as the two watched Lucille and Charlotte leave. 

Tears ran down Elodie's face, she didn't know when she would be able to see her cousin again.

* * *

Seeing Charlotte off had been difficult, but Elodie had managed to remain pleasant with her aunt Lucille, cautious of her antics after Juliana's warning the day before. The castle was once again empty, and she felt so alone. Looking for any kind of solace from her feelings, she walked into the castle's temple to the Good Lady, the patron god of Nova. Elodie chose a seat near the front of the temple, the room was empty and this would give her the perfect spot to pray in peace. After a couple minutes of kneeling and praying in front of the altar, she heard soft, but graceful footsteps from behind her.

"Good day, Lady Elodie. I hope I'm not intruding."

Elodie turned around to see a beautiful woman in her thirties wearing a priestess's garb. She had long, fiery red hair and a demeanor about her that could calm the wildest beast.

"Not at all Priestess Selene. I was just praying to the good lady." Elodie sighed as she got up and sat at the pew behind her.

"How diligent of you. I would expect nothing less from my star pupil." She laughed softly as she sat next to the future queen.

Priestess Selene was the head priestess in Nova's capitol, and also in charge of teaching the crown princess religious lore and divination. She was very fond of Juliana the Duchess of Ursul, but how someone as calm and accepting as Selene could be with the cold and calculating Juliana was beyond you.

"You seem as if you could use some comfort princess." Selene calmly spoke as she closed her eyes and lifted her face towards the altar.

Elodie hesitated a moment before opening up to the priestess. It was unbecoming for a queen to show signs of weakness, but Selene was her religious advisor. She could trust her.

"I'm scared and I don't know who I can trust" Elodie began to unload between sobs, "I almost died this week, and I'm not even a month into holding the throne. How am I supposed to survive until my coronation? How am I supposed to become a good queen? I never wanted this."

Selene was silent for a moment before speaking, "It's normal to feel scared and alone in your position. But trust me when I say this princess, I see how you study and work hard everyday. I know how you struggle and push through obstacles people your age normally don't face. I see how you care for those around you and your people. Trust me as your advisor and mentor when I say that I believe you will become a great queen, worthy of your mother's legacy. Others will see that too, and put their strength behind you. The good lady put this in your hands for a reason, and she is never wrong."


End file.
